9/20/11

If you don't have time to host a clothing-swap party with other parents to trade your kids' clothes, use the web to make it happen. The trading site ThredUp.com lets you swap your kids' clothes and toys and exchange them for items you like. It's this simple: Pick a box of items you like, pay $5 (plus shipping), prepare a box of items that no longer fit your child, and send it for free when someone picks your box. Go to www.thredup.com for more information.

9/19/11

Apples, bananas and pears are good, fresh fruits to pack whole in kids' lunches. They don't need wrappers or extra containers to hold up well in a lunch box. If you do pack cut pieces of fruit, consider making a pouch using aluminum foil. The foil can be crumpled and tossed into the recycling bin.

9/18/11

In my new book "Upcycling," I share more than 100 recycling projects that take everyday things we usually toss and transform them into beautiful new functional things for the home. My favorite idea is to stack mismatched plates, cups and saucers into a tiered serving tray. Start with the largest plate as the base, center a cup in the middle, add a plate on top and continue. Glue them all together with E-6000 glue for a strong hold (wait 24 hours for the glue to set). Then throw a party!